Preservation Idaho - The Idaho Historic Preservation Council

31st Annual Orchids & Onions Awards
Preservation Idaho is now accepting nominations for the 31st Annual Orchids & Onions Awards to be held May 31st in Rupert, Idaho.

Nomination deadline is April 15th, so don't delay! Download the nomatination form now, or learn more about the Awards program and past recipients.

Immanuel Methodist Episcopal Church Renovation

In 2003, Preservation Idaho included the Immanuel Methodist Episcopal Church in its statewide compilation of threatened or endangered historic places. Built as a mission church for Boise’s expanding Methodist congregation, this church was designed by Idaho’s most important architectural firm, Tourtellotte and Hummel, with adherence to the popular Akron Plan of church design. In the late 1970s, with a diminishing congregation, the building was sold into private hands to an owner who planned to convert the building into apartments. This idea proved too difficult to see through to completion and by the time of our inclusion of this building on our most endangered sites list, it had suffered for decades from lack of appreciation, insufficient maintenance, and neglect.

Earlier this year, the Treasure Valley Institute for Children’s Arts (TrICA), under the direction of Jon Swarthout, acquired the building with the intent of revitalizing, renovating, and rehabilitating the building for use as a teaching and performance space for children’s arts. We are pleased that Jon included us early in their plans, and it is with honor that we announce - only four years after our initial listing of this building - that Preservation Idaho will partner in the rehabilitation of this important piece of Boise’s social and architectural history.

In 1907 this church was a center of neighborhood activity and religious life in the rapidly expanding North End of Boise, and we expect that TrICA will once again be a cultural and social hub in this historic neighborhood. With Preservation Idaho’s participation the Treasure Valley Institute for Children’s Arts will provide a powerful example of the impact that passion and preservation can make.

Learn More!

Historic schools in the North End of Boise will unveil interpretive markers. Learn more about this exciting program here

Historic Boise School Cards
Buy cards featuring historic photos of Boise's oldest schools. These make a perfect gift! There are five varieties available.

Learn more!

Proceeds from the sale
of these cards benefit
preservation of North
End schools.

Save Our Schools!
The case for preserving Boise's neighborhood schools

Part of Boise State University's Idaho Issues Online, Save Our Schools looks at nine Boise schools for which the future is uncertain. Each building is either listed on or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

Minidoka Internment Camp - One of America's 11 Most Endangered Places

For the first time since the inception of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's America's 11 Most Endangered Places program, an Idaho site has been listed.

The Minidoka Internment Camp in Hunt faces unique threats to the viability of its ongoing interpretation as the site of forced relocation and confinement for thousands of Americans of Japanese descent during World War II.

Since 1987 the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the national partner of Preservation Idaho, has annually released a list of threatened and endangered sites around the nation. The compilation of this list serves to bring awareness and encourage action on the part of the American public to protect the nation's history.

Learn more about the Minidoka Internment Camp listing >

UPDATE: October 10 - Jerome commissioners deny feedlot permit!

Message from the President

Preservation Idaho (the Idaho Historic Preservation Council), stands at the forefront encouraging our communities to protect, preserve and renovate the special places that enhance our state as a great place for all Idahoans, young and old.

Preservation Idaho helps all of Idaho through our many efforts, including the Annual Heritage Home Tours, the special tours (last year’s Bar and Brothel Tour of historic infamous old Boise haunts), support for the preservation of locally significant buildings (the Oneida Stake House, The Foster Building, and Ada County Courthouse), the ArchWalks, sponsorship of the first statewide historic preservation networking conference and the Annual Orchids and Onions Awards held last year in Caldwell, Idaho.

We are actively engaged in strategic planning and need your support and your thoughts. Maintaining active members in all corners of Idaho is critical to our success and the success of preservation efforts in Idaho . Your membership to Preservation Idaho entitles you to a voice in our future and to many special events that will benefit and educate our communities about the importance of historic preservation.

If you believe in a preservation effort in Idaho that is independent of the politics of each individual community, that is independent of governmental or corporate purse strings, that responds to you as a member not as a pocketbook, please help today. The importance of your membership cannot be overstated.

Sincerely,

Daniel J. Everhart
President